How to convert a H264 TS File to XviD

[onesikgypo]

Hi,

I'm having a little difficulty in doing the ultimate conversion of a H.264 TS Recording to XviD.

Usually i record in MPEG2 format - then cut it in TMPGENC MPEG Editor - Create a D2V File/MPA(Or AC3) File With DGIndex - Use Gordian Knot to convert to xvid.

However, it seems when i record certain HD Channels - they use the H.264 Video Codec which has made things extremely difficult for me. What i was looking for was what was the best method to go about doing a similar process to this (note i need GordianKnot to be the final step).

What i'm looking for is to ensure that there is as little re-encoding as possible - so that the process can be done as quickly as possible - but retaining the quality of the file.

What i will note is that, most "TS" Convertors seem to be unable to handle the H.264 Codec in these TS Streams, reporting errors such as "No Channel Found" "Check PID's" "No Video Found" - and i have tried a significant few, such as HDTVTOMPEG2.

One program i have tried whcih somewhat worked was AVS4YOU Video Convertor - this did in fact convert the file quite quickly to mpeg2 - However, it is unable to handle large files. I can encode a 30second recoring thats 200mb - but a 50min recording which is 4-6GB it will merely freeze

Any assistance on procedures/tools i should use to get this ultimate goal, i'd be extremely greatful.

[Baldrick]

Have you tried handbrake,xvid4psp,avidemux or megui? For xvid4psp and megui be sure to install haali media splitter and ffdshow and avisynth.

[jagabo]

Try AviDemux. Or use DgAvcIndex along with VirtualDub. For cut only editing h264ts_cutter or TSPE.

[jagabo]

Oops, duplicate post.

[onesikgypo]

I've yet to try all the listed methods, what i have tried (unsuccessfully are):

AviDemux (Failed to open the file)
Handbrake (no adequate output available)

What looked promising to me is DgAvcIndex - it managed to open the file, and give me .dga .264 .mp1 .mp2 .ac3 files quite quickly.

However i'm then stuck on how to continue the process - as i mentioned - i always use gordian knot - and usually this just involved using regular dgindex and opening the .d2v file in it - if anyone has some further recommendations on what actions/tools i should use/take they'd be appreciated.

On another note, i had found an alternative method myself. Using TMPGEnc MPEG 4.0 Xpress - i could open the .d2v file - then from the "format" profiles i selected HDV Format MPEG - HDV-HD2 format. After that encoded i could successfully open the file in HDTVTOMPEG2 and it converted the file quite quickly. THe encoding however in TMPGenc was somewhat lengthy.

Thankyou to everybody thus far for all the help, it has been greatly appreciated

[manono]

However i'm then stuck on how to continue the process - as i mentioned - i always use gordian knot - and usually this just involved using regular dgindex and opening the .d2v file in it - if anyone has some further recommendations on what actions/tools i should use/take they'd be appreciated.

Instead of loading the DGDecode.dll and using MPEG2Source on the D2V file in the GKnot generated AviSynth script, as you're used to, load the DGAVCDecode.dll and use AVCSource on the DGA file you make. So, instead of having something like:

# PLUGINS
LoadPlugin("C:\Path\To\DGDecode.dll")
# SOURCE
MPEG2Source("C:\Path\To\Video.d2v")

just edit the script and substitute:

# PLUGINS
LoadPlugin("C:\Path\To\DGAVCDecode.dll")
# SOURCE
AVCSource("C:\Path\To\Video.dga")

I don't think GKnot will open a DGA file the way it will a D2V, so just take an old script and do the editing in it, and then that .avs should open in GKnot for you to do such things as cropping and resizing, before going ahead with the encoding, like always. You could even take what I wrote above, adjust it for your paths and names, save it as an .avs, and open it in GKnot - just a simple 2 line AviSynth script file. GKnot will generate a fresh one after you've cropped, resized, and filtered, and you'll encode with that one, which will refer back to that simple 2 line one you made.

Reading the docs included in the DGAVC package will help also.

[onesikgypo]

However i'm then stuck on how to continue the process - as i mentioned - i always use gordian knot - and usually this just involved using regular dgindex and opening the .d2v file in it - if anyone has some further recommendations on what actions/tools i should use/take they'd be appreciated.

Instead of loading the DGDecode.dll and using MPEG2Source on the D2V file in the GKnot generated AviSynth script, as you're used to, load the DGAVCDecode.dll and use AVCSource on the DGA file you make. So, instead of having something like:

# PLUGINS
LoadPlugin("C:\Path\To\DGDecode.dll")
# SOURCE
MPEG2Source("C:\Path\To\Video.d2v")

just edit the script and substitute:

# PLUGINS
LoadPlugin("C:\Path\To\DGAVCDecode.dll")
# SOURCE
AVCSource("C:\Path\To\Video.dga")

I don't think GKnot will open a DGA file the way it will a D2V, so just take an old script and do the editing in it, and then that .avs should open in GKnot for you to do such things as cropping and resizing, before going ahead with the encoding, like always. You could even take what I wrote above, adjust it for your paths and names, save it as an .avs, and open it in GKnot - just a simple 2 line AviSynth script file. GKnot will generate a fresh one after you've cropped, resized, and filtered, and you'll encode with that one, which will refer back to that simple 2 line one you made.

Reading the docs included in the DGAVC package will help also.

Hey,

Thankyou very much, this helped alot - this method seems to work best, to use DGAVCIndex to demux the files, then creating a custom avs script, opening the avs script in gknot and proceeding from there. It's very quick and absolutely no re-encoding which is just what i was looking for.

However on another note, my issue now is finding a tool to adequately cut these files as required. I have tried both h264ts_cutter and TSPE suggested above, both of which simply froze when i tried to open my ts file ( i also had a friend check - same thing). One program my friend found to work was SpiritOn Sniper Cutter - however this can't be run in vista which is a problem.

If anyone has any suggestions i'd be greatly appreciative.

[poisondeathray]

It's very quick and absolutely no re-encoding which is just what i was looking for.

I think you are mistaken; when using .avs scripts, there is always re-encoding

However on another note, my issue now is finding a tool to adequately cut these files as required. I have tried both h264ts_cutter and TSPE suggested above, both of which simply froze when i tried to open my ts file ( i also had a friend check - same thing). One program my friend found to work was SpiritOn Sniper Cutter - however this can't be run in vista which is a problem.

Did you have haali media splitter, and ffdshow (or other h.264 decoder) installed when testing these?

Also beware: if your h.264 .ts recordings are interlaced (they usually are if DVB-T), DGAVCdec often gives you artifacts that look like blocky pixellation. (It's still based on older version of libavcodec). The workaround is to use DirectShowSource()/DSS2() + coreavc/divx h.264/or recent ffdshow build

[manono]

...my issue now is finding a tool to adequately cut these files as required.

Can't you cut them using the [ and ] buttons in DGAVCIndex? Otherwise I don't know and someone else will have to help.

I think you are mistaken; when using .avs scripts, there is always re-encoding

I think he meant getting the video into Gordian Knot without reencoding it first so he could then create an AviSynth script with GKnot/AviSynth filtering from which he will encode.

[killwill169]

Try using Aimersoft Total Media Converter. You can set the aspect ratio and the resolution (length*width) manually, so that you don't lose any quality. Encoding doesn't really take that long. For an iMac 2 GHz Intel Core Duo running OSX Tiger, the fastest encoding for a 1 and 30 minute film whose resolution is 720*384 is about 50-60 minutes. The film was 1.3 gb, and re-encoding to xvid (it was h.264) and aac squashed it down to 1.03 gb.

Though it's not free (you have to register for the full capabilities), it's pretty useful.


Will

Edit: Try using Total Video Converter which is for pc, if you don't have a mac. It has a HD function that might be useful for you.